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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · firm · march · wave · bulb · pitch · capital · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — the month
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — for light
  22. march — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com